To Break a Curse
by FromTheCouncilOfTimeWizards
Summary: Eventual magic reveal. Arthur accidentally releases a curse that begins attacking everything it can in his kingdom. There are only two ways to stop the curse: Arthur faces the curse's challenge, most likely dying in the process. Or a sorcerer's life is sacrificed. Arthur chooses the first, of course, because where is he going to find a sorcerer willing to sacrifice himself? Post s4
1. A Discovery

**AN: Merlin is not and never has been mine. **

**So, as promised, here is the beginning of my magic reveal fic. I will try to update regularly as I did with my other story. I hope you guys like it! **

Merlin really hated hunting.

The sun was beating down on him and Arthur. There were more roots for him to trip over because Arthur had decided to stray from their usual worn hunting route. Arthur, hoping there would be a bigger variety of animals to hunt on this new path, had brought along even more equipment for his servant to carry. And, to top it off, he had dropped his water skin somewhere back in the forest. This whole trip was a disaster.

Arthur really loved hunting.

He felt confident that the new area of forest he had chosen would wield good results. He had a delicious meal packed away for when he got hungry, and best of all Merlin was so preoccupied with not tripping on everything that Arthur had gotten in the last word every time one of them started up their usual banter. It felt like nothing could go wrong on this trip.

"Ouch!"

Merlin had tripped over something sticking out of the ground, and the hunting gear finally went flying. Grumbling, he scrambled to pick it up.

"Merlin, at this rate we'll barely catch anything, if you haven't scared everything away by now."

Merlin glowered, but before he could respond Arthur got a good look at what his servant had tripped on.

It was a corner of a piece of wood, but to precisely cut and symmetrical to be natural. The king bent down and cleared away some of the dirt. He realized it was a box, or a small chest. Gripping the edges, he tugged and turned it until it came clear of the soil.

"What's that?"

Arthur looked over at Merlin, who was staring avidly at the box.

Merlin couldn't tear his eyes from the object Arthur had dug up. It made his blood tingle, and he knew that whatever it was, it was magical. It gave off a feeling of foreboding so strong, he was surprised Arthur couldn't feel it.

"Some box that was stuck on in the ground," Arthur replied. He dusted off the lid so they could get a good look at it.

It was carved of dark wood, about a foot long and half as wide. Small, black river stones lined the lid, and a forest-green jewel was set in each corner. A strange symbol was carved on the top; a circle with intertwining wavy lines radiating from it. Merlin didn't recognize it, but he was sure it was important.

Arthur placed a hand on the lid to open it.

"Don't!" Merlin said sharply.

Arthur stared at him. "What? It's just a box."

Merlin shook his head slowly. "Just...I don't think it's a good idea to open that."

Arthur's incredulity grew. "Honestly, Merlin are you scared of everything?"

And, before Merlin could respond, he opened the chest.

Immediately Merlin clutched his head as waves of magic washed over him. He felt that if he hadn't had to withstand magical threats before, he would not have been able to stay standing now. It was pure power, and it made his head pound.

Arthur, though he didn't feel Merlin's pain, also realized immediately that magic was involved. It was hard not too, for light had burst from the box and the clear bottle of midnight blue liquid that had been sitting at the bottom vanished slowly before their eyes. Then the temperature dropped at least ten degrees. But that was nothing to what happened next.

Black mist swirled into their area, seeming to come from all directions from who knew how far away. Arthur recoiled at the obvious magic and drew his sword, as though he expected it to be able to do damage to the dark fog. But suddenly, it wasn't just fog anymore as the mist formed itself into solid forms.

Arthur and Merlin stared into the shielded face of a tall, dark, armored knight where moments before there had been nothing but an indistinct cloud. He was the first of many others that were solidifying around them. Arthur was pumped with adrenalin, ready to fight. But the knight made no move to attack him.

"Which of you made the mistake of opening Theali's Chest?" Arthur was surprised by the warrior's voice. It wasn't harsh or dark, it was sad. Not threatening, not anything really, but sad.

He seemed to be talking about the container Arthur had just opened with barely a thought. Arthur hesitated, but the knight clearly was not aggressive. "I did," he said. The knight's face, hidden by a helmet, turned to him.

"Ah, yes. Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot." Arthur didn't like that this stranger knew his name, but he wasn't really surprised. After all, this man was clearly conjured from magic.

"I assume you did not know what this is?" He gestured to the open box. Arthur shook his head slowly.

"Believe me when I say I take no pleasure in what I'm about to do." The sadness in the man's voice grew. "But the curse controls me, so I have no choice. You have doomed yourself, Arthur Pendragon. Just know I will not enjoy this."

With these ominous words, Arthur went for his sword once more, but the knight turned and began to leave, the other mist people following him. They were gone in a blink of an eye.

Arthur and Merlin stared at the spot where they had vanished.

"That didn't sound good," Arthur commented nervously.

Merlin turned to stare at the box. _No, it really didn't_, he thought.  
"Come on, Merlin. Hunting trip's over. We have to decide what to do about this." Arthur went back to look for his horse and waited for Merlin to do the same.

But Merlin, reflecting on the power he had felt spilling from that tiny chest, wondered if there was anything they _could_ do.


	2. Consequences

**AN: I****DOM**

**Here's chapter 2 guys! It was written in kind of a hurry, so sorry :P also sorry if the first chapter wasn't awesome, I actually wrote some of it a while before I even joined this site just for the hell of it but didn't get far.**

Arthur and Merlin rode as fast as they could back to the citadel. "We need to see if Gaius knows anything about this," Arthur said. Merlin nodded in agreement. If anyone could tell them anything about this, it would be Gaius.

Hours later, Arthur and Merlin's horses clattered through the gates, the castle looming in front of them. Arthur wasn't sure what he'd been expecting - the castle in flames? Citizens wounded? But everything appeared to be fine. Apparently, whatever the curse did, it had not affected Camelot yet.

"We need to ask Gaius if he knows anything about this," Arthur muttered to Merlin as they got off their horses, Arthur signaling for another servant to take care of the animals. Merlin agreed. He was itching to talk to Gaius as well, though he wanted to do so without Arthur so he could ask the old physician if there was any chance he could solve this curse by himself.

He got his wish moments later. A guard ran up to them and spoke to the king.

"The council requires your presence immediately, sire. A matter of deepest importance has come up."

Arthur and Merlin exchanged tense looks. Did this have something to do with what had happened in the forest today? Arthur hurried towards the throne room, muttering to Merlin over his shoulder to talk to Gaius.

Merlin didn't need to be told twice.

0o0

Gaius looked up in surprise as his ward slipped noisily into his chambers, looking tense.

"Has something happened, Merlin?"

Merlin walked slowly up to the table where his guardian was mixing potions. "Do the words 'Theali's chest' mean anything to you?"

Gaius gave him an intense stare. "There is a legend...Merlin, what's going on?"

Merlin recounted what had happened on their hunting trip. When he was done, Gaius looked very grave.

"This is bad news...I have indeed heard of this before. Theali's curse rains down destruction on whoever opens the chest."

Gaius pulled an ancient book off of his bookshelf and rifled through the aging pages.

"Here." He pointed to a page that contained an illustration of the box Merlin and Arthur had found. He scanned the paper.

"According to legend, Theali is a sorceress whose powers spun out of control one day and she destroyed half a village. They were so angry with her that they had the village sorcerer curse her. She was made immune to aging and magically tied to the chest. Whenever the box was opened, it would release her powers, but only to destroy the way she had in the accident."

Merlin remembered the sad air put out by the knights. "So the knights are a result of the curse, and they are forced to just...destroy?"

Gaius nodded grimly. "They were sad because they are a reflection of Theali. She never wanted to hurt anyone, and now she is forced to."

Merlin nodded slowly. "So how do we stop it?"

Gaius hesitated.

"What is it, Gaius?" Merlin asked apprehensively.

"There are only two ways to break the curse, neither are good options. One, the person who let the curse loose - Arthur in this case - has to confront one of the knights in a duel."

Merlin looked up, alarmed. "But if the knights are a product of the curse and not actually alive -"

Gaius nodded, confirming what Merlin had just realized. "They cannot die or be injured."

"So, basically...Arthur would die."

Gaius's silence was answer enough.

Merlin took a deep breath. "So what's the other option? It can't be that bad, can it?"

Gaius winced. "A sorcerer's life must be sacrificed."

Nothing else needed to be said. Gaius knew that Merlin had immediately thought that if it came down to saving him or Arthur, the servant would choose Arthur. It didn't mean he liked it.

"The curse must be broken, or it will make it's way towards Arthur and stop at nothing to kill curse is meant to be broken by the duel between Arthur and the knight, but if a sorcerer gives his life, Theali can use the energy to force the curse back into the chest and trap it there."

Merlin nodded. "So...looks like I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Merlin-" Gaius began, not really sure what he was going to say. He knew full well what Merlin planned to do. But what could he say? Don't break the curse? Let Arthur die? The physician knew there was no way his ward would accept that.

Merlin looked back down at the textbook. "How do I find Theali?"

0o0

Arthur had a bad feeling as he sat down at the round table. The nobles and knights were looking grim, which wasn't helping.

"Sire, we have received reports of three attacks on outlying villages in the past few hours," a noble informed him.

Arthur froze. Three attacks? In just a few hours?

"It gets worse," Geoffrey said. "The descriptions of the attackers fit that of cursed knights of legend. They are said to be unstoppable and deadly."

Arthur tensed. So that's what the knights did. He thought a moment.

"We will reconvene in an hour," he announced.

He stood and walked out of the throne room, ignoring the confused looks of the councilmen.

He needed to see if Merlin and Gaius had found anything.


	3. Departure

**AN: Merlin belongs to the BBC...which is not me. **

**Little bit of Arwen in this chapter. Its kind of a slow one, I know, but stuff starts happening soon! **

When Arthur entered the physician's chambers, he found Merlin and Gaius waiting for him. He eyed them warily. They had an air of people about to give bad news, and had been rehearsing.

"Gaius?" he said tentatively. "Did Merlin tell you what happened today?"

The elderly man nodded, his face grave.

"And...do you have a solution?"

Gaius paused. "Unfortunately, yes."

Arthur's feeling of foreboding grew. "Well, what is it?"

"My Lord, I'm afraid...the only way to get rid of the curse is for you to fight one of the cursed knights in a duel."

Arthur nodded, ignoring the twinge of nervousness he felt at confronting a man made of magic.

"Alright...Do you know how I can find one of these knights? They seem to be moving in no specific pattern. I cannot wait too much longer or they will attack again."

Gaius pulled a map off his shelf. "The sorceress who the box belongs to is said to live in a cave somewhere by these mountains." He pointed on the map to a small mountain range.

"That's just past the Mercian border," Arthur noted, also examining the map.

"Indeed," Gaius agreed. "If you can find this sorceress, she can summon the knights."

Arthur swept the map once more. "Gaius, tell me everything you can about this curse. We leave after I inform the council," the king added to his servant.

0o0

When Arthur strode back into the room that held the Round Table, the knights and nobles were already there, looking anxious. He sat down next to Guinevere, who gave him a questioning look. His stomach twisted. He was not looking forward to telling her his mission.

"My fellow councilmen, I regret to inform you that it was a careless mistake on my part that caused these attacks, which are a result of sorcery."

Shocked whispers broke out on all sides, Arthur could feel everyone staring at him.

"I have been informed that in order to stop these attacks on my kingdom, I must engage in a fight to the death with once of the warriors that has been attacking the villages."

This time, it was silent. Eyes widened around the table as people realized the implications of this statement.

"But-" Gwen stared up at him, fear for her husband blooming in her eyes. "Surely there's some other way?"

Arthur swallowed. "We checked and double-checked. If I don't do this, these knights who have been attacking will continue to do so until they reached the citadel, and then destroy that too. I cannot allow my citizens my suffer when I can stop it."

He gazed around at the council, silently daring anyone to protest. Everyone was silent. They all remembered the dorocha incident and knew there was no way to dissuade their king.

Arthur stared out his window, knowing he might never see this view again. Merlin was readying the horses, and he was using the few minutes to take one last look around his home. His chest felt painful as he watched people walking through the courtyard. He would miss this, he would miss it all so much...

The door creaked open. Gwen stepped in. Her eyes were slightly red, but otherwise she looked fairly composed, and once again Arthur admired her strength.

Neither of them spoke as Gwen stepped forward and they embraced. Arthur savored it, closing his eyes and trying to forget everything for a moment. He wanted moments like this to be among his last thoughts.

"Please don't go," Gwen whispered in his ear, even though they both knew he would.

"I have to," he murmured back. As much as he loved his life, it was his job to protect his kingdom, and that was exactly what he intended to do.

As they pulled away, Arthur took her hand and placed something in it. It was the royal seal.  
Gwen choked back a sob at the significance of the small object in her hand. It was proof that her husband wasn't coming back.

"Gwen, listen to me," Arthur said. As much as it pained him to say this, he had to. "I want you to be happy. If you find someone else...please, do not let me stop your happiness. If you need someone to rule the kingdom with, choose someone who makes you happy, regardless of what anyone says...I did, after all, and I have no regrets."

She gave him a watery smile.

He touched her face gently and looked into her eyes. Her composure finally broke and buried her face in his shoulder, sobs making her body shudder.

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but his throat felt too tight to speak. He hugged Gwen tightly and then gently removed her arms.

"I have to go. I love you," he said. Then, before he lost his resolve, he walked straight out the door.

0o0

He made his way down to the courtyard, ignoring the looks he was drawing. Around him, some of the servants actually paused to bow to him. He nodded back respectfully.

He reached the courtyard where Merlin was waiting with their horses. But he wasn't alone. The knights had lined up along the steps, and they each bowed their heads as he passed.

Leon was waiting at the end. The senior knight was keeping a carefully neutral face that hid his inner sorrow.

"Sire, we just wanted to say...it has been an honor serving with you."

Arthur, who was also trying to keep a straight face, felt his almost falter. "Thank you, sir Leon. You have all proven yourself to be knights worthy of Camelot," he said, addressing the knights.

He mounted his horse next to Merlin. And then, before anyone could say anything else, he urged his horse forward and it clattered out of the courtyard.


	4. Journey

**AN: A lot of things are mine, but Merlin is not one of them. **

**So I meant to post this yesterday, but it was shorter than I liked. Enjoy. Also, read the note at the bottom. **

Arthur glanced back at his servant. Merlin had been silent ever since they left, and he now appeared to be staring aimlessly into space.

He didn't know that Merlin was going over the map again and again in his head. Gaius had shown Arthur the longest route to take, which avoided the pretend perils Gaius had informed him of. Merlin was to take a shortcut when Arthur was asleep. He wasn't sure if he could get back by the time, but he had to try.

"_Mer_lin, I thought I'd like it when you finally shut up, but I've gotten so used to your pointless rambling that now silence is worse." Arthur's drawling voice broke into the warlock's contemplation.

"What? Uh, well then stop yelling at me to be quiet next time then," Merlin said distractedly.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I don't _yell_ at you, Merlin, I simply point out that you talk rubbish."

Merlin snorted. "If by 'point out' you mean counter with other rubbish, then yes, I suppose you do."

They continued their banter until Arthur finally suggested that they set up camp. The sky was darkening and he couldn't risk them getting lost.

Merlin set up camp ass quickly as possible, hoping to speed up Arthur falling asleep. Arthur sat on a log and watched him throw ingredients into the pot for their supper.

"You in a hurry?"

Merlin jumped slightly when Arthur spoke, he had been lost in his thoughts again.

"No...just hungry," Merlin said quickly. "Here's your food. Eat it while it's warm."

Arthur stared as Merlin shoved a bowl into his hands. "If I didn't know better, Merlin, I'd think you wanted me dead," he said.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Just eat," he said. "You'll need your strength."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Merlin, you don't seriously think I have a chance at beating a fighter created from sorcery?"

Merlin paused. He'd actually been talking about the journey ahead, but that was a good cover.

"You never know," he said.

Arthur sighed. "Merlin, they are made of magic. It's a fight to the death."

"You can still win the duel, just not kill him. Maybe that will be enough," Merlin tried.

Arthur shook his head. "Gaius said a fight to the death."

Merlin just looked at the sky. It was dark now, he would have to leave soon.

"Get some rest," he told the king.

Merlin waited until Arthur's breathing became slow and deep. Slipping out from under his blanket, he stood and crept silently away from the camp.

He trudged through the forest, using his magic to give him light. He tried to hurry, but he was as clumsy as ever, and constantly had to look out for roots.

Hours later, he stood before the mouth of a wide cave. Nervously, he pulled out the worn map from inside hs jacket and checked it. He didn't want to get it wrong and waste precious time.

He thought he'd gone the right way, and the cave appeared to be similar to the drawing on the map. Then something caught his eye. On the side of the cave was a tiny, carved symbol...the same that had been on the chest. This was it.

Merlin straightened up and prepared to walk to his death.

0o0

He wasn't sure how long he walked through the tunnel. All he knew was that his feet were aching when he got to a wider opening leading into an open cavern, into which he caught a glimpse of flickering candles. He peered inside and almost jumped a foot when he saw face shrouded in a hood peering back at him.

"You have come to see Theali?" The owner of the face, a sandy-haired man, inquired on seeing Merlin standing just inside.

Merlin nodded. "I have come to offer my life to end her curse."

The man inclined his head in respect. "I am her servant. Follow me."

Merlin ducked in through the opening and straightened up to see a cavernous cavity in the rock. Candles were set wherever there was a somewhat level surface. At the end was a carved, wooden, almost throne-like chair.

Merlin assumed the woman sitting in that chair was Theali. Her skin was pale, which was probably related to the fact that she lived underground. Her hair was pale as well, lightly blond and falling down to her elbows. Her silver eyes honed in on Merlin, and he could see that they looked haunted and older than her.

"Emrys..." she murmured. "So you have come. When I heard it was the Pendragon king who opened my chest, I feared you would come."

A small noise of impatience came from behind her. Merlin looked closer and realized there was a man shrouded in shadows behind her chair, and wearing dark clothes so that he could hardly be seen.

Theali visibly tensed at the sound. Her eyes flashed, and Merlin got the feeling she was not on good terms with the man.

He saw Merlin staring at him and smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile, though, it was more of a smirk. That, along with his dark hair and eyes, reminded Merlin forcefully of Agravaine.

"Hello...Emrys, was it?" His voice was oily, and Merlin disliked him instantly. "Welcome. My name is Kogan."

"Yes, Kogan is the one who cursed me," Theali said tightly.

Kogan didn't even blink, just gave another cruel smile that sent shivers down Merlin's spine.

Theali leaned forward. "I assume you have come to end the curse?"

"Yes," Merlin said firmly.

Theali's eyes pierced his. "And are you prepared to pay the price?"

Merlin held her gaze and delivered his answer without a trace of doubt in his voice.

"I am."

**It might seem kinda random that I stuck Kogan in there, but there IS a reason, I swear!**


	5. No Turning Back

**AN: Merlin continues to not be mine. **

**Alright, here's the next chapter. I tried to keep the characters as in characters as possible. Lucky for you guys, the stories I've been following have not been updated as frequently(hint, hint), so I have more time to work on this. **

Merlin trudged back down the tunnel, shivering slightly from the chill. He glanced down at the vial in his hand. The tiny little bottle held so much power, as Theali had explained to him.

_"Very well. If you are willing to end your life to end the curse, I will give you this." _

_Kogan stepped forward and handed her the same vial filled with dark blue liquid that had vanished from the chest when Arthur first opened it. Theali, in turn, handed it to Merlin. _

_"Take it. It is a potion I concocted myself. It will weaken and eventually kill you, but the curse will die as well. I am sorry to say it does not act as quickly as I would like." _

_Merlin stared down at the bottle in his hands. "Thank you."_

Merlin snapped himself out of his flashback as he reached the end of the cave.

_Alright, Merlin, get this over with._

He uncorked the bottle. The contents swirled inside, shining innocently in the light cast from the moon. Gripping it, the warlock downed it in one swallow. It wasn't vile or bitter like Gaius's potions, in fact, it hardly had any taste at all.

No turning back now.

He didn't feel any different at first, but half an hour into his walk back to their camp, his limbs became strangely heavy. His fatigue, which he had attributed at first to not sleeping, was getting stronger. He groaned. It was going to be a long journey.

He finally made it back to their campsite where Arthur was still asleep. Exhausted, Merlin fell gratefully onto his blankets and passed out immediately.

He was woken unpleasantly a few hours later by Athur.

"Come on Merlin, the longer we wait the more people get attacked," the king said, tossing a water skin at his servant's head. Merlin grumbled and rolled over, burrowing further into his blankets. It didn't feel as though he'd slept at all.

"_Mer_lin,"Arthur snapped, "get up. Now."

Finally, Merlin stuck his head out from his makeshift bed. He looked slightly pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Now you know what it feels like," he said.

Despite his exhaustion, he made himself sit up. And suddenly, as he was dragged completely out of the realm of unconsciousness, the memories of the previous night hit him.

He paused. He was much more tired than was normal, and his head was pounding, but otherwise he hardly felt different.

Then came another issue. Should he tell Arthur? He was dying, anyways, what was the worst Arthur could do to him?

_He could hate you_, his mind told him, and he flinched internally. If he was honest with himself, he was terrified of dying with Arthur hating him for having magic.

_Then tell him soon, so you can explain!_ Merlin sighed. That would be the logical thing to do. He just had to work up the courage to do it...

Because he knew, deep down, that he would not die with his secret still locked inside him, leaving Arthur to remember him forever for something he wasn't.

He was dragged out of his thoughts by Arthur's hand waving in front of his face and his irritated voice cutting through the morning air.

"Honestly, Merlin, what is wrong with you today?"

Merlin plastered his usual smile on his face. "Just tired."

They rode for hours, which Merlin spent battling with himself over when to tell Arthur. He was becoming weaker by the hour._ Do it before it's too late_! his mind screamed.

Arthur was right. He was a coward. He could face sorcerers, dragons, and monsters, but he couldn't even tell his best friend the truth.

So he sat on his horse, tensed for the moment his desperation would win over his fear, and he would say something that truly showed how dire the situation was. But it didn't come. Every time he opened his mouth, he would clam up again, leaving him even more angry with himself.

0o0

Finally, Arthur could stand the silence no more.

"Are you actually going to force me to talk to you?"

He saw Merlin jerk himself out of his trance-like state. "What?"

He sighed. "It's not like you to be quiet. It's driving me mad."

"I thought my talking drove you mad," Merlin said, and Arthur could tell he was forcing himself to sound normal.

"Well, over the years I've built up an immunity to it, so it's not so bad anymore," Arthur replied.

No response. Arthur looked back at his servant and saw that he appeared to be fighting to stay awake on his horse. What could have caused him to look so tired?

_Maybe he couldn't sleep._

Arthur winced internally. He realized how hard this must be for Merlin. Though neither of them had said it or ever planned to, they had come to an unspoken agreement that they were close friends. He remembered all the times Merlin had called him names, only to turn around and almost die with Arthur, without complaining once. And they both knew that Arthur would do the same. Though their pride stopped them from ever saying it out loud, both of them would be devastated if the other were to die. It was no wonder Merlin couldn't sleep.

_Gods, when did I become such a girl?_

He bit his lip. Comfort was not his thing, that was more something that Guinevere was good at. But Merlin looked like he was in pain. Arthur couldn't imagine having to accompany Merlin to his death and not being able to do something.

_Do something, at least._

He sighed. Maybe it wasn't Merlin who was the coward.

0o0

Merlin's head was killing him.

He had woken with a minor throb, but now it was a pounding headache, like there was pressure on it from all sides. It didn't help that he could feel his energy slowly leaving him. It was taking all his effort just to stay conscious.

So he was greatly relieved when Arthur suggested they stop for a moment to eat and let the horses rest. After tying up the horses he practically collapsed against the log they stopped by. If he had waited a few more moments before exhaustion pulled him under, he would have heard Arthur's jibe about his laziness.


	6. Hard to Believe

**AN: Merlin is not mine, never has been, never will. **

**Ugh. This chapter is short. Sorry for that. Also, sorry for the delay. Life got busy. **

**Not sure how good this chapter is, I was pretty tired as I wrote it.**

Arthur stared at his unconscious friend. Merlin had looked tired this morning, but now he looked pale, even feverish. Maybe he was actually physically sick. Well, he would just have to hold out a little longer.

"Merlin," he said, prodding his servant. Merlin opened his eyes blearily. "Wha?"

"We can't rest long. We have to keep going."

"Right," Merlin mumbled, his eyes fluttering shut again.

Arthur felt a prickle of annoyance. Alright, maybe Merlin did not want him to die, but innocent lives were at stake.

When a few minutes passed and Merlin was still sleeping, Arthur jerked him awake. "Time to go," he told his servant.

Merlin yawned as they mounted the horses. "Are we almost there?"

"Yes. Now stop complaining," Arthur shot back.

Merlin had felt worse. But that did not make his current condition any more fun.

He was completely exhausted. But he was not dead yet. Theali had told him it would take at least a few days.

_So you only have a few days. Better tell him soon._

Just as this thought passed through his head, his head spun and he had to look down to stop himself from falling.

_I will...after I rest a moment...won't take long..._

Arthur looked over in time to see Merlin collapse off his horse.

"Merlin!"

He slid off his horse and examined the younger man. His breathing was slightly shallow, but steady and regular. However, his face was tight with discomfort, as though he was having a bad dream.

"Merlin?" he said, slightly more gently, shaking the servant.

"Wha?" Merlin's eyes blinked open, slightly glazed-over. "S'rry...jus' tired...gonna rest a minute," he mumbled.

"Merlin, wake up," Arthur said slightly more sharply. He glanced over his shoulder. "We're almost there. Are you ill?"

"Hmm? 'Course not. Why d'you think that?"

Arthur groaned. "Merlin, you're sick."

He wavered. He could not afford to delay, but he could not drag an unconscious servant with him. And Merlin needed a physician's help.

Merlin could see Arthur's dilemma. "Arthur...jus' leave me. Go on with the quest."

"What, and leave you here? Don't be more of an idiot than you usually are."

He thought a moment. "Do you think you can last a few more hours?"

Merlin nodded.

"Alright." He didn't like it, but Merlin was right, he had to continue his quest.

0o0

Hours later, Merlin and Arthur arrived at the cave Merlin had been to the night before, Merlin tied down to his horse and dozing against the creature's neck. Arthur had been constantly looking back at him, making sure he was alright. So far, Merlin hadn't shown any further signs of illness.

"Merlin." He shook his servant awake yet again. "We're here."

Merlin looked up. "Yes, we are," he said quietly.

The tunnel seemed longer this time, or maybe it was just Merlin's tiredness at work. It also seemed less intimidating, but that was most likely due to the fact that there was less lack of light.

They reached the end, and Merlin silently congratulated himself for staying awake. Theali's servant met them, and, though Arthur seemed suspicious at first, he allowed him to lead them into Theali's cavern. Merlin kept himself upright enough to follow Arthur in.

0o0

Arthur's heart was pounding, but he ignored it. This was for Camelot, and for his friends. He sensed Merlin behind him, and he felt a bit better. He would face this the way he'd faced everything else, with his servant and(though he'd never admit it),friend at his side.

He saw a woman sitting in an ornate but ancient wooden chair ahead of him and assumed she must be the sorceress.

"Are you Theali?"

His voice sounder louder in the hollowed cave. The woman nodded and beckoned them closer.

"What is your purpose here?" she asked of him.

"I have come to challenge one of your knights and break your curse," Arthur replied without hesitation.

Theali tilted her head to the side. "But, young king, a sorcerer has already given their life to end the curse you released. Did you not know?"

_What?_ Arthur was confused. Why would a sorcerer do that? Weren't they all evil?

_There are a few exceptions_, he reminded himself. Merlin's friend Will from Ealdor had saved Arthur's life, and he had already admitted that the druids should not be prosecuted. Still, it was hard to believe someone magical would be willing to do this for him.

"Who?" he asked. "I would like to thank them."

For a moment, he thought he saw Theali's eyes flick past him to where Merlin was standing, but she focused again on him. "It is not for me to say. They will tell you when the time is right. But when they do, just remember what they have done for you."

She leaned back in her chair, and Arthur, recognizing her dismissal, followed Merlin back out of the cave, his head buzzing with questions.


	7. Which Sorcerer

**AN: I don't own Merlin, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. **

**Here's chapter 7. I'm actually quite proud that I've managed to get this up today, because I've been busy. Anywho, enjoy :)**

Merlin itched his wrist absentmindedly. Theali's mark had appeared there, as he had noticed this morning. Thankfully, his sleeves were long and covered the area, but Merlin was still painfully aware that it was there, a reminder that his time was limited.

"Are you going to tell me what you're thinking about?"

The king's voice cut through the fog of fatigue in his brain, loud and drawling as always, but laced with an undertone of slight concern.

"Nothing," Merlin said automatically.

Arthur scoffed. "Merlin, you've never been so quiet." Honestly, he hadn't been that surprised before, Merlin, loyal idiot that he was, might have been depressed that he was going to die. But when Theali had told them that his death was not necessary, Merlin had hardly reacted at all. Arthur could not help wondering why his servant was not more back to himself.

A pause. Then Merlin spoke up.

"Aren't you wondering who the sorcerer is?"

Arthur sighed. Actually, he had been wondering that. It was all he'd thought of since they'd left that cave. In fact, he'd been so caught up in thinking about it about it that it had taken him half an hour to realize Merlin hadn't said one word.

"Yes. I can't think of a single sorcerer who would be willing to give their life for mine. You'd think they'd all want me dead."

Merlin chuckled. He couldn't help it. Sometimes he thought he was the only sorcerer who didn't want Arthur dead.

"You'd think so."

"Maybe it was a druid? They're peaceful, aren't they? Perhaps one of them wished to stop the destruction and decided to end it, not knowing I planned to."

Merlin stared at Arthur, who was slightly ahead of him and didn't see his servant's eyes boring into the back of the head. He wasn't sure, but he thought he'd heard a trace of guilt in Arthur's voice that he'd tried to hide. He knew Arthur never liked it when someone ended up dying for or because of him, but Merlin hadn't thought that would include sorcerers. He suddenly felt lighter. He remembered the promise Arthur had made, that the druids would be left in peace, and now he was feeling guilty about the death of a sorcerer. Maybe there was a chance Arthur would understand, once Merlin explained. He would be angry, Merlin knew that was a given, it was more a matter of how long he stayed angry, and whether or not his anger would surpass reasoning.

"I don't think it's a druid," he said softly. Technically it wasn't a lie...not really. Right?

Arthur rolled his eyes. "One of your funny feelings?"

Merlin grunted noncommittally.

"Well, I don't know of many sorcerers. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Morgana. I hardly think it was that old man - 'Dragoon', or whatever his name was."

Merlin repressed a snort. He pictured Arthur's face when he realized it had, in fact, technically been Dragoon.

"More likely him than Morgana."

Arthur inclined his head slightly in agreement. "But why would he kill my father and then save me?"

Merlin winced. He'd voiced his 'opinion', before, that it had been an accident on Dragoon's part, not murderous intent, that had killed Uther, though he had done so timidly, knowing the death of the former king was a sensitive subject for Arthur. It seemed, however, that Arthur had not changed his mindset that the old sorcerer, secretly Merlin, had meant to kill his father.

Secretly, though, Arthur had wondered, after he'd gotten over his initial shock of his father dying. Dragoon had seemed genuinely surprised when Uther died. In his grief, he'd been quick to blame magic, as his father had taught him, but his time as king had taught him that his father had not always been right.

And, after all, he could not deny that it was not a sorcerer who had stabbed his father in the first place.

Arthur realized Merlin had not answered. He looked back and saw that Merlin was staring off into space. Either he was contemplating what Arthur had just said, or he had gotten worse.

"Lets stop for lunch. You look ready to fall off your horse again," the king said, only half joking.  
Merlin's heart fluttered with nervous anticipation. This was it. He wouldn't let himself procrastinate further.

He set about setting up the fire, but Arthur put a hand out to stop him.

"Just make something simple, you look like you can't spare much strength."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Is this worry for me I hear?"

"No," Arthur lied stubbornly. "I just don't want my manservant passing out in my lunch."

Merlin smirked, but it disappeared abruptly as he coughed into his sleeve. He looked awful, and Arthur was itching to get back on their horses and ride for Camelot as quickly as he could. But Merlin looked like he could do with some food. And though he clearly had more energy and strength, his pallor reminded Arthur painfully of the time when Merlin had been attacked by(well, thrown himself at)the dorocha, and Arthur didn't like it.

Not that he would tell Merlin any of this, of course.

Merlin was searching through his bag, searching for food. Something caught his sleeve, and it jerked up. Something caught Arthur's eye. A faintly familiar something...

Reflexively, his arm snaked out and grabbed his servant's arm, holding it so the inside of his wrist was facing up. Startled, Merlin followed his gaze to the markings on his pale skin. His eyes widened.  
It was Theali's mark.

Merlin glanced back up at Arthur, trying to keep himself from shaking with excitement and apprehension. The forest, the horses, everything seemed to blur away as he honed in on Arthur's face, trying to gauge his expression. Heart thumping wildly, he waited for the hurt, the anger, or just plain confusion to appear there.

Arthur looked confused, but there was also a hint of realization. Merlin swallowed, waiting to see if that realization would grow, or if he would have the painstaking task of explaining to Arthur, of saying it out loud.

After staring down and Merlin's wrist, his eyes snapped back up to meet Merlin's wide ones.

"Merlin," he said slowly, "what is this?"

**Kinda short, I know, but I wanted the reveal to have it's own chapter. **


	8. New Information

**AN: I'm sure that there's a parallel universe somewhere where I own Merlin. But I'm stuck in this one, so I can only dream...**

**Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. Anyway, REVEAL TIME!**

Merlin stared up at Arthur's confused face.

"It's...apparently it's a side-effect."

The words made no sense to Arthur, and he merely continued to look clueless. "A side-effect of what?"

Merlin swallowed. "I'm the sorcerer."

Apparently, even this was difficult to understand. Merlin cursed silently. He should have known the prat would make this difficult.

"What do you mean, Merlin? Don't be stupid, you're not a sorcerer."

"I am." It was hard to keep his voice steady, he was abnormally aware of his heartbeat, which was thundering in his ears. He'd been imagining this moment since he became Arthur's servant.

Never once had he imagined it this way.

"Well, technically I am a warlock..."

Arthur didn't know what that meant, nor did he care. He grinned. "All right, joke's over Merlin. Very funny."

"No, Arthur, it's not." His servant was staring at him, his face deadly serious. Arthur wasn't sure what was going on, but it was starting to creep him out.

"Merlin, I think you have a fever and are starting to become delusional." His servant had said some strange things in the past, but never something as ludicrous as this.

But Merlin seemed to be steeling himself to do something desperate.

"I can prove it."

Arthur grinned and leaned back. "All right, Merlin show me your magic," he said jokingly.

His servant took a deep breath and then spoke. Spoke in a language Arthur didn't recognize, a language that made the hairs on the back of his neck.

And then, the king saw something he'd never, ever forget. Merlin's eyes, the eyes of the man he had trusted more than anyone else, who had comforted him whenever a loved one turned out to be a traitor, flared a brilliant shade of gold.

In his hands, a blue orb of light appeared.

Magic.

That was his knee-jerk reaction. It was magic. It was evil. It would try to take his kingdom, or destroy what he held dear. It could not be tolerated. Therefore, it must be destroyed.

But then he saw the face that was causing it. Heard the voice, echoing in his head, that had summoned it.

No. This was some bizarre dream, it had to be, or he was going insane. Because there were very few things that Arthur was completely, one hundred percent sure of. One of those was that Merlin was absolutely trustworthy. He would never betray Arthur or Camelot, he avoided hurting people at all costs, and he would give his life for the king.

But another one of those things was that magic was evil. It brought only destruction and pain. Morgana had learned of her magic and it had turned her into a crazed, power-hungry witch who barely resembled the woman she used to be.

Merlin and magic went together like oil and water. So why was he sitting here, in front of Arthur, reciting a magic spell with his eyes glowing gold?

It took Arthur a few moments before he accepted that this was, in fact, real. This was not some horrible nightmare. This was actually happening.

He had lost Merlin to sorcery. He did not know how or when it had happened, but it had. The Merlin he knew was gone, if it had even existed in the first place.

This was worse than Agravaine or Morgana. This was a hundred times worse. Because the thing that had kept him sane through all the betrayals and losses was his faithful manservant.

Before he knew what was happening, his sword was out and pointed at Merlin's throat.

"Sorcerer," he spat.

Merlin's face was pale and fearful, and Arthur's words seemed to cause him physical pain, but he did not flinch away from the blade.

"Yes," he said quietly.

He was not denying it. Arthur's last hope went out the window.

"You too," he said, his voice trembling with rage. "First Morgana, then Agravaine, and now you."

He wasn't entirely sure if he thought Merlin had betrayed him the way the others had. All he knew was that this was wrong. So very, very wrong. He wished he would wake up, and this would all be a nightmare. Merlin was supposed to be dependable, trustworthy.

Did he even know Merlin at all?

"No!" His servant's cry was hoarse. "Arthur, whatever you believe, don't think I am like them. I would never-"

"Why should I believe you?" Arthur almost didn't realize he had said it out loud. "You've been lying to me! How long, Merlin?"

The sorcerer winced at the icyness of his tone. "Since I came to Camelot," he whispered.

Arthur's fury grew. He let it grow, because otherwise it would morph into grief. Grief that he had lost a friend he never even had. Grief that it had happened again. He would not give this sorcerer the satisfaction of seeing how much this cut to the very core of his being and made him want to break down.

So instead, he kept his sword steady at Merlin's exposed neck. And the fact that he was not resisting would make it so, so easy...


	9. Full of Surprises

**AN: If Merlin were mine, it would not be over.**

**I'm not quite sure how I feel about this chapter. Though I did kind of like writing the conflict between Team Uther and Team Merlin(what I spontaneously named the conflict between the part of Arthur that just wants to kill Merlin and the part that wants to forgive him). **

"Are you going to kill me without even hearing me out?"

It was barely more than a whisper, but Arthur heard it clearly.

"Hear you out? I know what I need to know! You're a sorcerer!" The king felt he was speaking in circles, but he did not care at the moment.

It seemed to take Merlin a great deal of effort not to flinch, but Arthur thought he said the servant's eyes get brighter as he spoke. "Please, Arthur. You don't understand. When I'm done, you can do what you will with me."

Some part of him wanted to accept, deluded that not all hope was lost, but Arthur quickly squashed it. Merlin would probably just manipulate him into believing that he was innocent, using his _magic_ if necessary.

His thoughts must have shown on his face, because Merlin gave a wry, humorless smile. "It's not like I'm trying to get out of execution. I'm dying anyway."

_What?_

The king's eyes landed on Merlin's wrist, and he suddenly remembered what had lead to the revelation that his servant was a sorcerer in the first place. That part had gotten shoved to the side when the man in front of him had spoken the spell.

Merlin was dying. That fact hit him almost as hard as the previous one. Merlin was dying, because he'd been trying to save Arthur.

Well, at least some things still made sense.

But that little, dark mark on Merlin's skin had sparked a battle in between two parts of Arthur's mind. One of the sides was the part of him that had distanced itself the most from his father, screaming that sorcerer or not, Merlin was still Merlin, and if Arthur condemned him now, he didn't deserve the friendship Merlin had given him. On the other was the part of the king that clung to some sense of normalcy by dredging up his father's teachings of sorcery, as well as all of the negative encounters he'd had with magic.

The first side took in Merlin's desperate, sad, and frankly, somewhat terrified demeanor. _Morgana and Agravaine didn't care what you thought of them once they'd come out as a traitor!_ it said, making the first move. _Merlin's clearly not the same as them! He still cares what you think of him!_

Team Uther replied with_ He's probably just scared that Arthur will have him killed in a more painful way - the pyre, perhaps. He's a coward, just like all sorcerers! Why do you think he hid for so long?_

_Precisely! He lied because he was scared of what would happen to him_, Team Merlin shot back.

_But Arthur's father has been dead for a while now! If he really, truly trusted Arthur, he would have told him by now_, the Uther of Arthur's mind snarled back, its disdain prominent.

_What if he trusted Arthur, but was afraid of how he'd react? He knows full well that Uther taught him to hate magic in all forms. And frankly, if you drag him back to the pyre and burn him and call him evil, then he was fully justified in keeping his magic secret._

Team Merlin had won this round.

"All right, Merlin, I will hear what you have to say. But if I find out that you're lying again-"

"I won't," the servant said quickly, relief written on his face. "Ask me anything you want."

And, ignoring is deeply ingrained instincts that recoiled at the nearness of the sorcerer, Arthur sat down facing his fri- the sorcerer.

"You said you'd been lying since you came to Camelot," Arthur began, "which means you must have had magic before then. When did you become a sorcerer?"

Merlin exhaled loudly, a small smile on his face. "Actually, I was going to bring that up. According to my mother, I showed the first signs of magic when I was only a few days old."

Arthur raised his eyebrow. "If you're lying-"

"I'm not," Merlin said patiently. "I was born with magic - I'm a warlock. If you think I've betrayed you because I have magic, then I betrayed you by being born."

Merlin could see that those words had an impact on Arthur. The king hastily fired another question.

"Then why on Earth would you come to Camelot? Are you crazy?" he demanded. Team Merlin was quick to point out that doing something stupid like that was a very Merlin thing to do, so maybe he wasn't faking everything.

"There were no other sorcerers in Ealdor. I had no idea how to control my magic, and it became difficult to contain. Not to mention everyone thought I was a bit of a freak. So my mother sent me to Camelot, partially to get away from all that and partially because she knew Gaius used to practice magic, so he could help me learn to control it."

Of course Gaius knew. Arthur wasn't really surprised. The physician was practically all-knowing.

"So why did you save my life? When we first met, you didn't like me much. I attacked you in the marketplace."

Merlin smiled somewhat reminiscently, remembering their mace fight. "I used magic on that," he said, eyes widening when he realized he said it out loud.

"You what?!" Arthur yelped.

"Well, like you said, you'd been trained to kill since birth, and I, well, not so much. You came at me with a mace," he defended himself. "Anyway, you asked why I saved you? Someone gave me answers no one else could."

"Merlin, you're talking gibberish," the king grumbled, not noticing how he automatically slipped into his usual 'insult Merlin' mindset.

"Before I came to Camelot, I had no idea why I was born with magic. I used to spend days wondering why it was me. In Ealdor, they called me freak, and at times I believed them. It seemed pointless that I was born with magic. A few times I even tried to stop using it completely. Lock it up inside me and refuse to let it out. But each time I fell ill and nearly died. My magic is in my very blood, and I could feel it itching to get out. When my mother learned what caused my mysteriously illnesses, she forbade me from trying it again."

Arthur stared, transfixed and horrified. He couldn't imagine having to live with magic and know you could never make it go away. A small part of him had been wondering, childishly, if he could just get Merlin to stop using magic and everything could go back to the way it was. Now he saw that was not an option.

"When I was sent to Camelot, the first few nights I heard someone calling me. They spoke to me in my head, as most magical beings can. It took me a while to find him, but when I did...well, let's just say I was surprised. But he told me that it was my destiny to protect you, the Once and Future King. You are destined to be the greatest king Camelot has ever seen, and unite the lands of Albion. I was born with magic to protect you until that has happened. I admit, at first I didn't believe it. I thought you were too much of a prat to be a good ruler. But...it was an explanation, at least. It was a reason for me being born different, with magic coming as naturally to me as breathing. So, when I got the chance, I saved you."

He paused for breath, apparently oblivious to the state of shock Arthur was in. His servant had often spoke of destiny, that Arthur was destined to be a great king, but he never imagined anything like this. He felt slightly overwhelmed. And he'd thought he'd known pressure when he became king...

"At first, I protected you because I felt like I had to. But, as I got to know you, and found out that when you're not being a clotpole you can actually be a good person," Merlin continued, ignoring Arthur's exaggerated eyeroll, "I did it because...I wanted to."

This was much more than Arthur had bargained for. Merlin was just full of surprises today.

"Who was the person who told you of your destiny?" he said, voicing the thing that had been nagging at him.  
Merlin's face fell slightly, but before he could answer, he coughed convulsively and he instinctively tightened his body into a ball, his face scrunched in pain.

Reflexively, Arthur reached out and gripped his shoulder bracingly, lies forgotten. His chest tightened as he saw that Merlin looked exhausted, and he felt slightly guilty for interrogating him when he was in this state.

"S'rry," Merlin muttered.

"No, it's fine," Arthur murmured. "Take a break. Rest some. Then we can start heading back to Camelot. You can answer the rest of my questions there."

The unsaid _"if you make it"_ billowed in the air between them.

Merlin looked grateful. Arthur dug a blanket out of his satchel, and Merlin curled up under it, falling asleep almost immediately.

Which left Arthur to analyze what he'd just heard. Team Uther and Team Merlin were going at each other again, but it seemed to Arthur that Team Merlin was better armed with the new information he'd just recieved.


	10. The Return

**AN: Merlin continues to not be mine. **

**Alright. I'm not sure how I did with this chapter in getting everyone's reactions. The most of Arthur's angstyness has gone, I think. I wrote out everyone's reactions, and then I was like "oh." because everyone was kind of quick to forgive Merlin. But I tried to be as accurate as I could, and anyway (SPOILER ALERT) in the finale Gwen didn't seem the least bit angry when she found out who Merlin really was. **

Merlin had magic.

Magic.

_Merlin._

He'd accepted it, but it still shocked him every time he realized it once again.

Arthur scrunched up his face against the internal battle that was happening inside his head. He couldn't deny that Merlin's explanation had made him feel a little better, but he was not quite ready to let it go yet.

Because even though he knew the laws, knew the punishment Merlin would suffer if anyone found out, he couldn't help feeling hurt that Merlin had never told him. He'd shared everything with Merlin, asked for his advice, and his servant was one of the only people who truly understood him. His servant had always said the king had never really figured him out, and frankly, the king agreed. He didn't understand Merlin's weird quirks, but he never imagined that he would be hiding something this big or this important. And it all came down to the fact that Merlin didn't trust him enough.

But then, did he even deserve Merlin's trust? He had been moments away from killing the man in blind hate. He'd killed Merlin's kin, and for all he knew he'd killed a friend of his. Not to mention Arthur was constantly preaching about the evils of magic. It would have been so easy for Merlin to give up on him and turn into another Morgana.

Still. The fact remained that Merlin had lied to him all this time. And there were probably more secrets that he'd neglected to bring up. Magic was evil. How did he know Merlin hadn't, at some point, used his magic for something other than protecting the king?

It seemed unlikely. But then again, it had seemed impossible that his trusted servant would turn out to be a sorcerer.

He sighed. He knew he would not end up killing Merlin. He would not humiliate the man by burning him in the courtyard for everyone to see when the man was already dying.

But then Arthur realized that even if he forgave Merlin, he would still indirectly have killed him. Because Merlin ended the curse for him. Once again, he owed his life to his servant-turned-sorcerer.

Why did Merlin always make it so hard to stay mad at him?

He sighed again. He would just have to listen to the rest of Merlin's explanation later and reserve judgement until he'd heard everything. He looked over at the servant. He'd been out cold for a while now. He felt a prickle of worry. Merlin was unnaturally still...

"Merlin," he said, shaking the thin man slightly. When nothing happened, he shook him harder. "Merlin," he said, slightly more urgently.

Finally, the blue orbs appeared from under their lids. "Arthur? Wasgoingon?"

"We need to continue on our journey back to Camelot," the king explained, trying to ignore his servant's deathly pale pallor or the faint wheezing of his breath. "Maybe Gaius can help you."

Merlin clearly doubted he could, but nonetheless he stood shakily and let Arthur help him onto his horse. Arthur packed up everything, taking over Merlin's usual duties.

The king was glad he thought to tie down the servant to his horse, because minutes after they started their journey, Merlin's head began to droop, his energy continuing to leave him as it went into ending the curse. Arthur rode next to him, guiding the horse when necessary and checking every so often to make sure the sorcerer was still alive.

They rode quickly, but it was still many hours before they arrived in Camelot. The horses' hooves thundered through the gates, startling some of the peasants. They did not stop, but headed straight for the courtyard in front of the castle.

He heard sounds of surprise, and remembered dimly that he was not expected to have survived. He saw Gwen's face in the window, which quickly adopted a shocked expression. He knew everyone would have questions, but right now Merlin needed Gaius.

To his surprise, Gaius was waiting for them, not looking the least surprised. When they came near enough, he said "How is he?", his eyes on the limp figure on the horse behind the king.

"You knew!" Arthur blurted out, and heard the accusation in his tone.

Gaius merely raised his eyebrow, and Arthur felt a little stupid. Of course Gaius had known of Merlin's stupid plan.

"Can you help him?" he asked, just as Guinevere appeared on the steps.

"Arthur!" she exclaimed, and threw her arms around him. "What happened? I thought-"

She broke off, having spotted Merlin. "Merlin? Arthur, what's wrong with him?!"

The king almost winced. He was not looking forward to explaining to everybody. He glanced at Merlin's limp form, then at Gaius. The two of them silently agreed that the sorcerer didn't have long.

"Gaius, help me take Merlin to your chambers so you can do what you can for him. Guinevere, you go get the knights and tell them to meet me in Gaius's chambers."

"Which knights?" Gwen said, still eying Merlin.

Arthur swallowed. "You know which ones."

Their eyes met, and he could see she understood he meant 'the ones closest to Merlin'.

She ran off to find them, and he untied his servant from the horse and carried him through the castle to Gaius's chambers. Merlin did not stir once, and Arthur could only hope they'd get there in time. He suddenly realized this was what Percival must have felt like carrying Merlin after his stunt with dorocha.

"Can you do anything for him?" he muttered to Gaius as the physician examined his ward.

The look on Gaius's face was answer enough.

"He's not dead yet. It seems he took some kind of potion that is slowly draining his energy and putting it towards forcing the curse back into the chest. Since the curse is so strong, it takes a lot of power to defeat it, which is why Merlin's entire lifeforce must be taken."

He said all this with an expressionless voice, but Arthur could see the grief the old physician felt in his eyes. He knew it wasn't really the time, but he said "your opinion of him isn't different because he's a sorcerer?"

He wanted to take it back as soon as he said it, knowing how painful this must be for the old man. But Gaius gave him an understanding smile.

"Of course it is different. I respect him for using his powers for good, even when so many others have given in to dark magic to get what they want. I admire him more for getting through everything he has and still managed to keep his head on straight. And I also feel sorry for him because he was forced into his destiny with no choice in the matter."

Arthur barely had time to process this before the door banged violently open.

"Where is he?!"

Gwaine's demanding voice echoed around the stone room. Elyan, Percival, Leon and Gwen were close behind him.

When his eyes landed on the pale figure on the cot before him, Gwaine sucked in a breath, and he too suddenly looked pale. He then proceeded to demand what had happened to the servant.

"Gwaine." Arthur held up a hand to calm the knight. "Everyone, sit down. I have some explaining to do...seeing as Merlin isn't really in any condition to do it himself."

The knights and Gwen obeyed, Gwaine rather reluctantly. The king took a deep breath, and began to tell them everything that had happened, starting when he opened the box and ending with their return to Camelot.

When he was done, they all sat in shocked silence. Gwaine looked the least surprised.

"Did you know?" Arthur asked the drunk.

"No, but now that you say it makes lots of sense," Gwaine replied. "Whenever something happens, he seems to know what's going on, and you two always seem to get out alright."

"Poor Merlin," Gwen whispered, staring at her unconscious friend. "I can't imagine what it must have been like..."

Arthur couldn't help a twinge of annoyance. None of them seemed to care that Merlin had lied to them.

Gwaine seemed to read his thoughts. "Got a problem with Merlin, Princess?" he said, rather aggressively.

"Gwaine," Leon warned, but the other knight ignored him, staring straight at Arthur.

"Merlin is my friend. I will not judge him now because he has magic. You might say he betrayed you and all that, but you know damn well Merlin has probably been using it to save your neck."

Arthur felt his irritation grow. "So you don't care that he's been lying to you all?"

"I don't like it, but I can understand why he did it," Gwaine retorted. "It was probably a good idea. Don't try to tell me that there was never a point when you seriously considered killing him."

The king opened his mouth to reply angrily, but Gwen spoke up.

"Arthur, you can't blame him. You know how your father taught you from childhood that magic is evil, so that it became second nature to you? Maybe Merlin's mother ground it into him that no one could find out as a child so that he wouldn't tell anyone."

Arthur deflated. "You're right," he murmured. Probably a good thing that he did, because Gwaine was glaring at him.

"I have to admit, I wasn't sure at first, but Gwaine and Gwen are right. Merlin's a good person, with or without magic," Elyan said.

Arthur nodded. "Percival?"

The big knight shrugged. "Where I grew up, magic wasn't really considered evil. I don't think Merlin was faking being our friend."

Gwaine smiled at his friend as Arthur nodded again. "Leon?"

He knew the senior knight had been a knight under Uther for many years, and was sure that he would be the least accepting towards Merlin. However, the curly-haired man surprised him.

"I didn't quite trust him at first, but my duty is to you, sire, and if it is true he has been saving your life, I cannot be angry with him."

As it turned out, it was Leon who convinced Arthur. He gave a final nod, and they could all tell that if Leon didn't distrust him, then he could no longer claim to either.

They were distracted by a small sniff. They looked around to see that Gaius's eyes were slightly wet. "I'm sorry," he muttered, "it's just that Merlin's been dreaming of this moment for years, and now he's not even conscious."

As if on cue, Merlin suddenly groaned. In a flash, Gwaine was by his side.

"Merlin, mate, how're you feeling?" he asked.

The servant blinked slowly. "Gwaine?" he asked confused.

"Yeah. Arthur brought you back to Camelot."

"Oh." Merlin stared at the king. "Did he...um-"

"Tell us what happened? Yeah, he did."

The sorcerer's eyes widened, and they could see fear tinge his elfin features. He swallowed convulsively. "And?"

"You don't think we'd ditch you because of a little thing like magic, did you?"

Merlin laughed weakly, but it quickly turned into a grimace. He looked around at all the faces around him, seeing if there would be any hate or fear or distrust in any of them.

When he didn't find any, he gave a smile that lit up his features even despite his illness.


	11. Not Alright

**AN: Merlin is not mine, and I don't think anyone out there thinks it is. **

**I meant to get this up sooner, but life got busy. This chapter is my first real attempt at something angsty. That's mostly what this chapter is going to be, but then there's going to be more action and some BAMF Merlin :3 **

**Anyway, ON WITH THE FIC!**

"Can you cure him?" Gwaine asked of Gaius.

Gaius and Arthur shared a pained look.

"I am sorry, but I think the most I can do is ease his suffering."

The knights grew quiet at this.

"There isn't ...anything?" Elyan asked.

Gaius shook his head. "I'm sorry, but it's a magic potion, one I've never seen before. And I believe if the curse is to be broken, Merlin must die." He tried to sound professional, but some of the grief he'd been feeling over the past few days threatened to show in his tone.

Gwaine shook his head stubbornly. "There has to be something. He can't just..." He trailed off, apparently unable to finish the thought.

"'He' is right here, you know," Merlin said irritably. "And 'he' has already accepted that there is no cure. If the curse is to be stopped, it has to be like this."

Gwaine swallowed, and the knights exchanged pained looks. Even though he was a servant, the way Merlin accompanied them on all their missions, fought alongside them and joked with them made him feel like one of their own. And it was part of their nature that when one of them was in trouble, the others would do whatever it took to save them. They did not like sitting around and doing nothing. And being forced to do just that, when their friend was dying before their eyes, was making them feel horrible. The knights protected each other.

But it seemed this time, they could not save Merlin. This time, he was beyond their help. And it killed them.

Especially when they saw how honest his eyes were. Though he did not want to die, he had already accepted his death. He had planned it out before hand. At some point, they had been in his presence not knowing he planned to die for his king. And they had done nothing.

After hearing Arthur's explanation and some of Gaius's stories, they felt even worse that Merlin was dying to save them. The hours passed, and the knights constantly stopped by whenever they were free. Gwen came often as well, usually leaving in tears that she'd failed to hide.

"Alright! Enough! You guys need to stop moping," Merlin bellowed finally, as Gwaine and Percival stopped by yet again and, as usual, Gwaine asked if Gaius had found a cure only to have his hopes dashed and returned to his somber mood. The knight then looked guilty and apologized for ruining Merlin's last hours, to which the warlock raised his hands weakly in surrender and muttered "I give up."

Because no matter how much he smiled through his pain, assured them he knew what he was doing, and told them not to get too upset, the thought of losing Merlin made the whole castle gloomy. The knights were forced to go about their normal duties, but they carried them out with no real energy. Life without Merlin was unimaginable, and they couldn't help holding onto a tiny scrap of hope until Merlin's last breath left him. There was no joking banter echoing down the halls, no carrying laughter from the king or his knights. The servants moved about the castle quietly, their heads down, for they had heard that one of their own was close to death. Everyone in the castle knew Merlin, and especially the servants knew how kind and cheery he was. It was the mutual agreement of the castle that it not be the same without Merlin.

When Merlin grew weaker and Gaius determined that he had little time left, he called for the knights, Arthur and Gwen. They came one by one to say their goodbyes.

Gwaine was still slightly in denial, but on seeing Merlin laying inches from death on his cot, his face tightened in a mask of misery. He tried to speak, but no words came out. Merlin just smiled at him, a sad smile that said no words were needed.

Elyan, Percival and Leon all looked slightly awkward when they came, but spoke in tight voices, saying that Merlin would be missed. They tried to keep it somewhat light, but they had a haunted look in their eyes as they took in the sight of Merlin's life leaking from him.

Gwen came to see him as well, but she had already cried herself dry. They needed no words as well, they had been best friends since Merlin came to Camelot. Instead, they spent a few minutes reminiscing, remembering the things they used to do when they had free time, laughing about Arthur's strange habits or trading servant gossip. She started to break down again before she left, but pulled herself together enough to give him a kiss like she had when he'd been poisoned and she'd thought he was dead. Merlin could tell she was hoping for a repeat of that incident, when he seemed beyond help but had pulled through.

Arthur came last.

He'd been avoiding it for a long time. But he couldn't put it off any longer. Merlin was dying. Denying it would not change anything.

Merlin smiled weakly as the king entered, a smile the royal could not return.

"You idiot," Arthur said finally. "Thought I told you to stop with all that 'sacrificing yourself for me' nonsense."

Merlin smirked in return. "You know I never listen to you," he said softly.

His response was so familiar, so _normal_ that Arthur felt his throat tighten with the sob he was fighting back. They would never banter like this again, he would never make a snarky remark to his loyal servant, would never get a cheeky response in reply.

So this was his only time to say it. The last chance he would get.

"Merlin...I know, throughout the years, I've said a lot of things about you." He swallowed. "And... I didn't mean all of them. But what I'm about to say...I mean it. Completely."

The warlock stared, wide-eyed.

"I said once that you were an idiot. I thought I meant it. I thought you were an idiot for nearly getting killed for me all the time. But...no, it's not idiocy. It's loyalty. For some unfathomable reason, you are willing to die for me. And I will never, ever forget that."

His words were becoming thicker, but he kept them steady, even staring at the horrifying sight that was Merlin on his deathbed. His servant deserved to hear this.

"And, though you annoy me to no end sometimes, you made my life never dull. You were my first true friend, a friend who treated me like a person, not a prince. Well, Morgana was my friend, but..."

He trailed off awkwardly. Emotions were not his specialty, but he was being assaulted by them, they clawed at his insides, and they battled him for control of his expression. Merlin triggered them, set them off running wild around his mind.

"I must admit, when I heard of your magic, I felt betrayed. Now I see that is the most insane thing I have ever thought in my life. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. You are...a true friend."

There. He had said it. The thing he had never said to Merlin before - at least, not followed by an insult. The warlock met his eyes, and knew that only the event of his death could bring out such a confession.

"Thank you," Merlin rasped. "You are my friend as well. And I do not regret for one moment what I did."

He broke off with a cough. His face betrayed the spike of pain that shot through him. He cried out, a heartwrenching sound that echoed through the chambers.

"Gaius!" Arthur called frantically. Instantly, the physician appeared at his shoulder.

But there was nothing he could do. The king knew it as he stared down at the thin frame on the cot, laying motionless. He knew, from the growing feeling of numbness in his gut, that the absence of the rise and fall of the chest that meant life was not his mind playing tricks on him.

Merlin was dead.

The fact hit him like one of Percival's punches. Over the past few days, he had had to adjust to the idea of Merlin dying. It did not help in the slightest as his friend continued to be motionless, an image he had seen only in his nightmares. He felt sick with the pure _wrongness_ of the situation. Merlin was always alright. Even when he was hurt, in the end he'd be fine. But not this time.

The dam broke. The grief and pain he'd kept bottled up for the last few days for Merlin's sake flooded him, he felt as though he was drowning in it. His knees buckled, and he landed next to his servant's blank, unfeeling face. He was vaguely aware of Gaius's shaking hand on his shoulder as a sob broke free from him. Tears streamed in rivulets down his face, and he let them fall for the man who was every bit worth them.

In reality, it was probably only a few minutes that he sat there, staring at the face that looked as empty as he felt, save for his sadness. But it felt like an age. And age in which nothing mattered but the fact that Merlin was dead, gone, lost forever...

An age that was broken by the tiniest of movements, so small Arthur thought at first it was his imagination desperately trying to rescue him from his pain. But then, he felt Gaius's hand clench in shock, and he realized it had been real.

Merlin had breathed.


	12. Divide and Conquer

**AN: Merlin? Mine? Nope. **

**Sooo...**

**Yeah, sorry for the late update. I got busy, then kind of lost my momentum. And I left you guys at a cliffie. I'll try not to do that again, but no promises. **

Theali stared down at her scrying bowl. She had already tried to tear her eyes from it, for she felt that she was intruding on something personal, but she couldn't help it. The relationship between Emrys and the king as well as the knights intrigued her. Only the day before, the king had been about to run the warlock through with his sword for his so-called betrayal (Theali thought angrily how he should have realized it was closer to the other way around), but now he was clearly upset about Emrys's impending doom, and Emrys seemed to have forgotten the incident.

She had been skeptical at first. Arthur was kind and fair, but misled. She had watched him a few times over the years, trying to keep in contact with both the outside world and the prophecies of the druids. But he and Emrys clearly had a unique friendship, and if that was enough to bring about the forseen Golden Age of Camelot, then it was enough for her.

She felt relieved that her observations supported her actions. She had been wondering if it was the right thing. The sorceress looked down at the small bottle in her hands. The contents shimmered innocently at her, showing no sign of the potential disaster they held.

It was now or never. She held the bottle up and uncorked it. The small portion of the poison, the very same she had given Emrys, sat at the bottom, waiting patiently to be ingested and to wreak their havoc on an unfortunate body. However, this amount was (hopefully) only enough to wear her out for a while.

It had been risky. So risky, in fact, that she almost hadn't done it. Dividing the effects of the potion was never supposed to happen, Kogan had made sure of that when he designed it to go along with the curse. For it to work, an exact amount had to be taken, or the victim would experience some symptoms, but then recover, their life returning to them before Theali could use it to harness the power of the curse.

But after that incident that had started all this in the first place, Theali had made sure to study her magic, practicing until she never made a mistake or allowed it to get out of control, even if she was now living in this decrepit cave. The bit of magic she used had been very tricky, and the effort had given her a headache that she had been careful to hide from Kogan. She removed only a small amount of the poison so he wouldn't notice when she handed it over to Emrys.

She grimaced. If this worked, her magic would be depleted, and Emrys's own power would take a while to recover, but he was_ Emrys_, his magic could never truly leave him. Hopefully, it would be enough to end the curse. It was dangerous. If she had gotten it even slightly wrong, Emrys would die, but not all of his life force would be put into ending the curse, and it would continue to destroy. Or they would both die. Neither prospect was appealing.

Kogan would be angry. But hopefully, he would not find out about it until after the curse had ended and Emrys was well again. She sighed. She was not looking forward to his reaction. He had already been a bit...off when he'd cursed her. He'd taken way too much pleasure in doing it. It was one of the reasons she now isolated herself, he would follow her to make sure she didn't try to break it, and he was no longer out where he could hurt others. However, the years spent underground had done nothing to improve him. There were some days when Theali suspected his mind was long gone, only focused on his assigned revenge, and she wished more than anything she could leave and get away from him. But he would follow her, and she would not inflict his presence on others. She had done enough damage already.

Emrys was weakening. She had to do it, or he would die.

Raising the vial to her lips, she swallowed the liquid, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart. It was done. She couldn't undo it. She felt the poison working its way through her veins, but she made no effort to stop it. It was the only way to save Emrys.

0o0

Gaius watched as the king collapsed by the bed of his ward. He felt like doing the same. However, years of dealing with loss had taught him to keep his composure, especially when friends of the victim were having a hard time. So he settled for placing a shaky hand on Arthur's shoulder.

Merlin's face was pale, but serene. He no longer looked in pain. That should have been some sort of comfort. But all Gaius could see was a young boy hesitantly entering his chambers, full of wonder at this new place and fear of its rules. He saw Merlin rushing to tell him how he'd saved Arthur again, moaning about his chores, and seeking assurance about his destiny.

Merlin had become like a son to him. Gaius now had a pretty good idea of how Uther felt when Arthur had been bitten by the Questing Beast, and there had been no hope for a recovery. Except this had to be worse. Because now all hope, even a tiny one, was crushed. He couldn't help the tears that slid down his face.

But then...

No, he had to be mistaken. He had already seen the life leave his ward. That couldn't have been a breath. It was his mind playing cruel tricks on him.

But he heard the king's pause in his wracking breaths and sobs in what the physician interpreted as shock. If Arthur had seen it too...

"Merlin?" The royal said hesitantly, his voice thick.

At first, nothing. Then the chest fluttered beneath the ragged red shirt. It became slowly more steady.  
The physician leaned in, looking closer. There was a slight flush to Merlin's face that hadn't been there before. But that meant blood flow, and that didn't happen in dead men...

Hesitantly, he leaned down and listened. There was a slightly weak beat, but it was slowly going from erratic and frantic to constant and steady.

"Impossible," the physician breathed. But here was Merlin, still looking ill but his breathing and heart growing stronger.

And then, the lids fluttered open, and the familiar blue orbs were not glazed over with death.

0o0

The last thing Merlin remembered was saying goodbye to Arthur, then drifting peacefully off. No last minute thoughts, no regrets. All those times he had almost died before, especially when he planned to die for Arthur, he had spent what he thought to be his last moments panicking that there was someone he hadn't said goodbye to, some affair he hadn't settled. But it had been exhausting for him, and not pleasant, so this time he had just accepted it and refused to worry about such things.

So when he had felt darkness drag him down, heading towards what he assumed was death, he had accepted it quietly. He was not expecting to open his eyes and find himself exactly where he had been before, with Gaius's astonished eyes looking down at him.

It seemed that, yet again, everything had not gone exactly to plan.


	13. Inexplicable

**AN: Merlin is not mine. Why do you think I am writing FANfiction?**

**So I realize this isn't much of a chapter. But I feel bad for writing like 3 other short stories, as well as starting to write my Freylin story I promised(which I plan to publish soon) instead of updating this. So here's kind of one of those obligatory chapters where not a lot happens, but it's something.**

Merlin turned his head slightly, searching for an explanation. Instead, he found Arthur's astounded, tear-streaked face and his mentor's confusion as he examined his ward.

Tentatively, he raised his head and hands. Moments ago, he'd felt as though all his energy had left him, but now it appeared to be trickling back slowly. His magic, however, still felt suppressed.

"Merlin?" Arthur said hesitantly.

"What happened?" The warlock asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Gaius told him.

Merlin frowned. "This doesn't make any sense... I was sure I was..."

Gaius and Arthur shared a look. "Well, Merlin, you did stop breathing for a few minutes."

The servant's eyes widened. "Then how am I still alive?"

The physician shrugged. "That's a good question."

Gaius spent nearly an hour examining his ward. "From what I know of Theali's curse, you should be dead by now," the physician said bluntly. "Frankly, I was surprised you lasted as long as you did before, but this...this should be impossible. Not that I'm complaining."

Merlin turned to Arthur. "You've been getting regular reports on the attacks, right?"

Arthur nodded. "I have since we got back, but they've been slowing steadily, and as of a few hours ago they appeared to have stopped completely."

The warlock sighed, relieved. "Well, that's good. At least I didn't botch stopping the curse by surviving."  
Trying to ignore this plain disregard for his own safety from Merlin, the king turned to Gaius. "What do you think? Is he going to make it?"

"As far as I can tell, sire, he is somehow slowly recovering. It certainly seems he will." He sent a stern look at his ward. "But that does not mean he should not rest. He will need to stay here for a while while his body and his magic recovers. Not go gallivanting around the castle as he usually tries to do after he's been injured."

Merlin gave him a look that was half indignant, half sheepish.

As it turned out, Arthur did not have much time to feel relieved. He had completely ignored his council's constant badgering demands for an explanation (Arthur had not told them about Merlin's magic, and neither had the knights or Guinevere). He had no idea what to tell them. So he sent a messenger to the various nobles assuring them he would explain, and then went in search of Gwen, Gwaine, Percival, Elyan, and Leon so they could help him come up with one.

He found Gwaine taking out his emotions on a ragged stuffed figure that had previously been a practice dummy. Arthur could see he must have been at it for a while for it to have been reduced to this state. He also noticed the knight's eyes were rather red.

"Gwaine, I need to speak to you," the king muttered, so that the other knights that were practicing could not hear.

"Don't feel like it at the moment," the drunk said roughly.

"_Gwaine_," Arthur hissed, "this is important. Merlin's still alive."

Gwaine stopped abruptly in his maiming of the dummy.

"What?"

"I will explain what I can. I need you to find the others and meet me in my chambers."

The knight nodded and practically sprinted off to find his friends.

Minutes later, they had convened in the king's chambers with guards outside the door.

"Sire, what's this about? Gwaine says Merlin is still alive," Leon said.

"He is," Arthur said. "We have no idea how or why, but he stopped breathing for a few moments, and then he just...started again. He's in Gaius's chambers at the moment, but he thinks he'll be fine in a while."

"Well, that's great!" Gwaine said loudly. "What's the problem?"

Arthur sighed. "The problem, Sir Gwaine, is that I have no idea what to tell the council. If I tell them the truth, half of them will be lobbying for his execution. If I show a sudden tolerance for magic, they will think me enchanted. But I have to tell them something, they expected me to die a few days ago."

There was a pause. Then Percival spoke up.

"Maybe if you told them how he saved your life -" Percival began.

"There are still too many of Uther's supporters, they would find a way to make trouble," Leon said grimly. "They would find a way to accuse him of something."

"Besides," Arthur cut in, "I don't want to tell everyone without Merlin's consent. It's not our secret to give away. Most likely there will be some who hate him blindly. I don't want to just drop that on him suddenly."

There was a pause, and then Guinevere spoke. "Why don't we just say the truth. A sorcerer sacrificed his life to end it because he didn't want to see his friends and family suffer. The sorceress told you this, and then you and Merlin returned to Camelot, where Merlin has just recovered from a sudden bout of illness."

Arthur couldn't help but smile. One of the things he loved about Guinevere was her insight and intelligence. And my father thought she couldn't be a good queen, he thought.

"That just might work," he said, relieved.


	14. Discoveries and Payments

**AN: Merlin belongs to those people at the BBC who have so much control over my emotions, it's not even funny. **

**Yep, this is kinda late. But I'll spare you the explanations. **

**So, this guy...I did my best to make him seem a little insane. I just wasn't sure how insane I was going to make him 'till I wrote this chapter and...well, see for yourself.**

Kogan frowned. Theali had retreated to her chambers - again. She'd been avoiding him lately, acting secretive.

He didn't like secrets.

At least, not when they were kept from him. Some people had tried to keep secrets from him before. He felt his mouth turn upward slightly in a strange, giddy smile at the memory of what he'd done to him.

Oh, the perks of being a sorcerer.

He'd always enjoyed the prospect of such power. It was different front the power of a king or noble. A king's people could always turn on him if they disliked or distrusted him. It would take a lot of convincing and a lot of bravery, but it could happen.

But with magic...if someone fought him, his eyes flashed gold and they could become his puppet.

He'd let Theali keep her free will because he essentially controlled her. She refused to leave this gods-forsaken place out of shame. Because of the curse that he cast.

But sometimes, like now, he wondered if he ought to have enslaved her mind as well as her powers.

He knew she had been scrying earlier. Perhaps that would give him some answers.

Walking over to the scrying bowl they shared, he waved a hand over it, murmuring the incantation that would make the previous location she'd scryed appear.

The contents in the bowl swirled, then solidified into a scene.

An elderly man, sitting among many potion bottles and text books. He sat for a moment, then stood, a vial in his hand.

Kogan felt a jolt of familiarity. He recognized the face that belonged to the man the other, elderly one was handing the bottle to.

It was Emrys.

Something stirred in him, though he did not immediately grasp the facts before his eyes.

Emrys had lived.

No. That was impossible. NO ONE survived after taking his poison! He had made sure. He had spent weeks designing a potion that would bring a slow and painful death. Not one person so far had survived.

He did not like his control being broken.

His scattered mind flew into action. How could this have happened? It would have taken immense power and concentration to-

Theali.

Rage spiked him at the realization. She'd never liked him, he knew that. But he never thought she would have the nerve to go against him.

She would pay. She needed to pay. Emrys would pay as well. They would all PAY! He'd spent too long! He'd lived in this decrepit cave for this. NOBODY defied him and got away with it!

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He recognized them to be Theali's. A nasty smile played at his lips.

"Where have you been?" he purred smoothly. "I was quite bored."

If she was disconcerted by his tone, which she undoubtedly was, she hid it.

"I felt like having some time alone. You know I never enjoy taking a life," she said, somewhat coldly and, in his opinion, rather bravely. He smirked, unseen by her. She was just digging her own grave further.

"Well, it's a good job you didn't have to kill anyone, isn't it?"

She froze at the dangerously silky words.

"I don't know what you mean," she said quickly.

He finally turned, and she looked frightened at his manic expression.

"Theali, why is Emrys still alive?"

Her eyes widened in a passable show of surprise, but he knew the truth. It was fear.

"I-I don't understand. Emrys should be dead!"

"Yes," Kogan replied, "he should be. And he will be, once I'm done with him."

Her mask was slipping, but he'd already dropped his. She could clearly see the bloodlust and deranged desire to exercise his control.

"You will regret defying me," he said quietly when she did not respond.

She stiffened, and Kogan saw the signs he had seen in so many others. His blind rage grew. She actually intended to fight him!

It didn't matter that he hadn't used defensive magic in years. He could take her.

She threw a spell at him, but he deflected it. As his anger grew, his control over his magic lessened, until his power burst free from him.

With a roar, his eyes burned deadly gold, and Theali went flying. She slammed into the stone wall, and her head snapped back. Kogan thought he heard something crack.

Then her pale body slid to the ground, limp, her life absent.

It took him a moment to realize what he'd done. He felt conflicted. Part of him had gotten an extreme satisfaction.

But suddenly, panic overtook him. What had he done?

He raced over to the foot of her throne. The chest was sitting there. Frantically, he wrenched it open.

Nothing happened. It was just an old, empty, wooden box. His curse was gone. It's power had come from Theali, and now she was gone.

"NO!"

His high scream echoed around the cavern.

There was only one thing left to do now. Panting, he stood shakily.

Emrys had to die.


	15. A Mission

**AN: I love Merlin, but that does not mean I own it. **

**Yay for updates! Here's another chapter for all you AMAZING people who have followed/favorited/reviewed this story.**

Thankfully, the story Arthur put out that Gwen had suggested was accepted without question. No one suspected Merlin. Arthur, Gwen, the knights and Gaius remained the only ones who knew the truth.

Arthur spent most of his free time in Gaius's chambers, trying to catch up on all of the things he had missed over the years. Now that Merlin was not dying, he couldn't help but feel some of his unease trickle back. It seemed too good to be true, that Merlin was a sorcerer, but a good one who had been protecting him, and was still the same Merlin he'd always known. So he'd been hoping Gaius could give him more answers, ease some of his worrying.

Merlin didn't seem to mind. In fact, he beamed everytime Arthur asked about some mysterious happening he remembered in Camelot. The physician had him still confined to their chambers, and Merlin was itching for something to do. So, to satisfy both their needs, Merlin poured out every secret he'd ever kept.

Though he seemed eager to, some of his memories he shared came out painfully. Some of his fear seemed to return as he recounted his poisoning of Morgana, as well as his release of the dragon.

Arthur could not deny the last one made him angry. He remembered the destruction the beast had rained down on his kingdom. But Merlin was looking so nervous, and unmasked guilt shone from his eyes, and Arthur felt his anger ebbing.

"We all make mistakes," he said softly. "Even the mighty Emrys, it seems."

He was still having trouble wrapping his head around the fact that Merlin was supposedly the greatest sorcerer ever to live. There were a few times he suddenly froze in fear, remembering a time he had been harsh to Merlin - called him an idiot, piled chores on him, been oblivious to the death of a loved one. How easy it would be for Merlin to turn on him. But then he would walk in and see Merlin look up, grinning as though all his dreams had come true - and, Arthur supposed, they had.

"Are you going to tell people?"

Merlin voiced the question warily during one of their long sessions in Gaius's chambers. Arthur shot him a look.

"Are you?"

Merlin looked down. "Well, I can't right now, can I?"

Arthur heard the silent question hidden in another.

"I can't just suddenly repeal the ban without warning," Arthur said slowly. "I...have to prepare for breaching the subject on the council. I expect a few will throw a fit." He wrinkled his nose, anticipating their reactions. "But they'll warm up to it eventually...somehow." He sounded as though he wasn't sure.

Merlin smiled. "Thank you."

Arthur could hear the sincerity that filled those words.

0o0

Kogan looked up at the ivory turrets, taking in none of the beauty of the scene. He only saw a target, a place to sneak into. He was hunting a man inside it.

He entered the city easy enough, but it would be more difficult getting into the physician's chambers. Fortunately, his mind, though skewed, retained its intelligence.

He approached a guard. "Excuse me," he coughed, "I seem to have contracted a slight illness on my way here, could you tell me where to find the physician?"

He was given directions, and he followed them quickly. No one even suspected him. He smiled. This was so easy...

He knocked on the physician's door and heard a soft "enter" from within. Pushing the door open, he saw the old man from his scrying bowl. He arranged his features to look innocent and curious, sweeping the scene. Emrys did not appear to be in here.

"I've come to deliver a message for the king's manservant," he lied smoothly. "Could you tell me where he is?"

"I believe he went to the armory to polish the king's armor. He should be back soon, though, he is recovering from an illness and I warned him not to overstretch himself," the physician replied, barely giving him a second glance.

Kogan nodded politely and left, closing the door behind him. His anticipation, which had been growing, reached a pitch. But no, he should calm down. He was in no hurry.

Whistling, he strolled casually down the hallways towards the armory, using his magic to find the way when no one was looking. In his mind, he saw Emrys, hunched over a sword, not paying any attention to his surroundings.

Suddenly, a voice came echoing down the hallway.

"And tell Guinevere the training has been delayed, so I will be-"

The king broke off, mid-sentence, having spotted Kogan. The servant beside him looked confusedly between the two.

"I know you," Arthur said slowly.

"I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else," Kogan replied smoothly.

The king's eyes widened. Apparently, he had remembered where he had seen Kogan before.

"Guards!" he yelled.

Kogan sighed, and his eyes glowed gold, sending the guards flying back. Knowing there were more on the way, he turned on his heel and ran. But after a few steps, he turned to stare at the king.

"I will kill Emrys," he said matter-of-factly. "Don't think you can stop me."

And with that, his eyes glowed once more and he disappeared from his spot. He had a warlock to kill.


	16. Confrontation

**AN: I don't own Merlin, and I'm pretty sure I never will. **

**Yay for updates! **

**Okay, I'm sorry this took so long. The thing is, while I'm writing one story, I get ideas for like five more, so I was distracted. I actually almost started a few other fics, but I felt bad because it would take even longer to update this. **

"Send Sirs Gwaine, Elyan, Percival, Leon, Moran, and Thomas to the throne room. Immediately!" Arthur ordered. The servant, looking rather frightened, bowed hastily and ran off to do as the king said.

Cursing, Arthur turned on his heel and ran. He had no idea where Merlin was , but he was in trouble.

Within minutes, the knights had convened in the throne room. Arthur was waiting for them.

"A sorcerer has broken into the castle," he told them grimly. Their eyes widened slightly, and they stood straighter, anticipating orders to capture said sorcerer.

"He seems to be out of his mind. For some reason, he is targeting my servant, Merlin, but he will no doubt have no qualms about dealing with anyone who he meets along the way. He's dangerous to everyone."

Gwaine had stiffened noticeably when Arthur said the sorcerer was after Merlin, and there was a determined gleam in his eye. "So we are to catch this sorcerer?"

"Yes," Arthur confirmed. "Gwaine, Percival, you two go together and search the northern towers. Leon, Moran, the southern side. Percival, Thomas, you two search the lower levels. Move quickly."

The knights obeyed. Splitting up into their designated groups, they hurried through the palace, swords drawn. The king put the whole castle on alert, servants were to stay in rooms in groups rather than wander the corridors until it was safe.

Arthur joined Gwaine and Percival in their hunt. It was eerily quiet without te usual bustle. He could only hope they found the sorcerer quickly.

The moment Merlin left the armory, something felt off. He soon realized it was the lack of the usual hum of activity in the castle. Immediately, he looked around for signs of a threat.

Arthur. He had to find Arthur. Quickening his pace, he hurried through the hallways until he found a guard.

"Do you know where the king is?"

The guard looked around. "Didn't you hear? The castle's on lockdown. There's a sorcerer on the loose. The king went with sirs Gwaine and Percival to search the northern towers."

The servant muttered a quick "thank you" and then rushed off.

His footsteps echoed loudly off the stone walls. In his hurry, he paid little attention to his surroundings. Perhaps that was what made it so easy for his hunter to find him.

Merlin rounded the corner and promptly found him face to face with Kogan.

In the split second it took for him to register this, Kogan's eyes glowed gold and the warlock suddenly found himself flat on his back.

He scrambled to his feet, but Kogan was already upon him.

"Emrys," he said in his oily voice. "So nice to see you again."

He studied the servant for a moment. Then he raised his hand.

"Merlin!"

Arthur's shout turned their heads, and they saw the king, Gwaine, and Percival at the end of the hall with their swords drawn.

"Leave him alone," Gwaine all but snarled.

Kogan just sighed dramatically. "Oh dear. I'd better get this over with."

And with another flash of his eyes, Merlin was thrown backward, shattering the glass of the mirror and plummeting down the other side.

"MERLIN!"

Kogan took one look at the knights running at him and quickly followed Merlin out the window. Except he didn't fall, as Merlin had. Eyes glowing, he glided gracefully down to the ground where Merlin was stirring feebly.

"Quickly!"

The king and the knights turned on their heels and sprinted back down the way they came. They thundered down the steps, the sound amplified by the absence of others.

Finally, they made it down to the courtyard where Merlin lay. Thankfully, they hadn't been that high up, but it was obvious he was hurt.

Kogan stood over him with an insane grin on his face.

"Revenge is good. I like revenge," he commented, as though speaking of his favorite sweet.

Merlin blinked. It was hard to focus, and his head throbbed.

"What have I done to warrant revenge?"

"Simple. You cheated my curse. Well, technically it was Theali. But now that I've killed her, I can't exactly take it out on her, can I?"

Merlin stared. This guy really was out of it. "So...you're going to kill me because you killed Theali?"

Kogan smiled. "See? You understand!"

He sighed, and with a casual flick of his hand, he sent Arthur, who had been trying to sneak up on him, sprawling onto the stone. Another flick, and the knights were paralyzed.

The small crowd was silent immediately. The small group had been present in the courtyard when they heard the shattering of the glass and saw Merlin tumble out the window. They had gasped, almost as one, Merlin was known to many in the city, and well-liked. But he was also known for his clumsiness. They had thought it was another accident.

But then, the strange man kneeling over him, who they had thought had been trying to help him, had used sorcery to stop the king. And they realized it was no accident.

Panicking, they pushed and shoved each other to escape the scene as the strange sorcerer raised his hand to curse the servant struggling to get to his feet. Time seemed to slow down as the man's eyes glowed gold, and they were certain Merlin would die as flames flew at him.

Then something completely unexpected happened.

"_Scildan_!"

A second pair of eyes glowed, and an invisible barrier appeared, stopping the attack.

"_Forþ fleoge_!"

This time, it was Kogan flying backwards.

"_Gehæftan_."

Ropes bound his hands. He struggled, but Merlin whispered "_Swefe nu_," and his head drooped.

Merlin knew he should feel good that he'd stopped another homicidal sorcerer. But instead, he felt paralyzed, afraid to turn around in case the people in the square were glaring at him, judging him. He listened for the muttering, the shouts of anger.

But all he heard was a shocked silence.


	17. Aftereffects

**AN: The closest thing I have to owning Merlin is having a Netflix account that lets me watch the series. **

**Hmm. This is one of those times when I'm not sure if I'm satisfied with a chapter, but I'm gonna post it anyway and see how it goes. **

**Off to work on some more stories .**

"Merlin."

The servant felt the king's hand on his shoulder, trying to pull him back, but he couldn't move.

"Merlin, we can't stay here," Arthur said gently. He then turned his head and whispered to Gwaine, who had been freed once Kogan fell unconscious. "Quick, get him in the dungeons," he muttered urgently but quietly.

Slowly, Merlin turned and followed Arthur towards the castle. Arthur noticed he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the ground in front of him, avoiding the astounded eyes of the crowd.

While the knights took the bound Kogan to the cells, Arthur led Merlin up to his chambers. Merlin was silent the whole time.

When they were alone and the door was closed firmly behind him, the warlock finally spoke. His voice was strangely distant.

"I've pictured that moment for years now. I never really envisioned it that way..." He trailed off, and seemed to snap out of his daze.

"Oh, Gods, Arthur, I'm sorry."

"What for?" the king asked, perplexed.

"Now you have to decide what to do with me. I've forced you into making a decision."

Arthur rolled his eyes. How typical of Merlin.

"Only you would apologize for saving your own life."

"I'm serious."

"I know." Arthur ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll have to-"

They were interrupted by a pounding at the door.

"Sire! There's a sorcerer-"

Arthur wrenched the door open on the frantic guard.

"I'm aware," he said curtly. "No one is to enter. I will address the matter shortly."

"But-"

"Thank you." The door closed in the nervous-looking face of the guard.

Merlin looked nearly as nervous, standing awkwardly in front of Arthur's desk.

"As I was saying," Arthur continued, "I will have to repeal the ban. I can't be seen bending the rules for one man." He decided he wouldn't mention how he was basically removing a rule for one man.

Merlin took a deep breath. "Arthur, it won't be easy. There will be lot of people against it. You can't just change it overnight, you can't expect people to accept that."

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Merlin, what are you saying? The alternative is sentencing you to death."

The warlock took a deep breath. "If that's what it comes down to..."

The king looked at him incredulously. "Merlin...are you seriously suggesting I kill you to spare me a difficult decision?" Did the man not have any sense of self-preservation at all?

"Not necessarily. Magic, remember? And no offense, but the dungeons really aren't that hard to break out of."  
Arthur frowned.

"Still, you'd technically be a criminal for breaking out of prison." He paused. "How about this: I say I'll let you off because you saved my life, then working on lifting the ban from there."

Merlin still looked doubtful. "But like Leon said, there's still too many of Uther's supporters-"

"But it's ultimately my decision," Arthur interrupted. "If I have to, I will do it without their support."

Merlin nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess."

"Right," Arthur said crisply. "That's settled." He glanced towards the door and grimaced.

"This is not going to be fun..."

0o0

Merlin spent the rest of the day holed up with Gaius.

He knew he was being cowardly, that he couldn't hide forever. But he really didn't feel up to facing everyone at the moment. He knew how fast word traveled. By nightfall, every person in the city would know that he had magic. He could practically hear them now:

_"Who'd have thought it? A sorcerer at the heart of Camelot!"_

_"Yes, that's right, the king's servant. Turned out to be a traitor. Wonder what'll happen to him..."_

_"It must have taken some skill to hide this long from the king."_

_"Wonder what else he's been hiding?"_

Eventually, Gwaine turned up with a message from Arthur.

"By Arthur's orders, you won't be arrested. He explained the circumstances, and he's working on repealing the ban. But for now, you won't have to worry about getting thrown in the dungeons. You're free to do as you please."

Well, if he were completely free to do as he pleased, he would have stayed in his chambers for the rest of the week. Unfortunately, Gaius refused to let him sulk, and soon kicked him out.

"Just do what you normally do. They'll get over it."

Merlin sincerely hoped this was true, because on his way to deliver Arthur's dinner, everyone he passed shot him wary looks and stuck to the far end of the hallways. Some kept their eyes down, apparently hoping he wouldn't notice them. Others glared defiantly as though to make a point that they weren't scared of him.

When he entered the kitchens, a hush fell over everyone in the room. Trying to ignore this, he went about his normal routine.

However, feeling awkward, he moved hastily, and therefore much more clumsily than normal. He ended up accidentally dumping fruit all over the floor.

He cringed. So much for not drawing attention to himself.

As he bent down to clean up, another hand reached down and began helping. He looked up to see one of the maidservants he was friendly with.

"Thanks, Rosa," he muttered gratefully. He was keen to get out of here quickly. He felt the stares on his back.  
She smiled, and although it was a nervous one, it was still a smile. "No problem, Merlin."

He left feeling slightly better. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad having everyone knowing after all.


	18. Taverns and Ceremonies

**AN: It would be nice to own Merlin, but I don't.**

**Yikes. **

**Wow, I did NOT mean for the update to take this long. It was a combination of computer problems and real life things. Also, I realize this is kinda (Ok, a lot) short. I just wanted to give you guys an ending. I might come back and update this chapter, add more to it, but for now I'm gonna call it complete. Thank you all for your amazing support!**

No one was prepared for the chaos that happened when Arthur repealed the magic ban.

For some reason, no one had foreseen what would happen when all the secret magic users in Camelot (there turned out to be quite a few) decided to celebrate. Many of them visited the taverns, with the result of having their control over their magic loosened. There were many incidents where people convinced a drunk sorcerer to prank someone or show a display of magic.

Merlin, for one, was glad he got up before Arthur. He was able to change the bricks in the courtyard back to their original grey. The king never had to know they had been turned pink.

However, it wasn't entirely unexpected that there were some reports of sorcerers being attacked. There were some who still shared Uther's views and had decided to take matters into their own hands.

"This is madness," Arthur grumbled one morning. "How are we supposed to control this?"

Merlin shrugged. "They'll get used to it, sire. They just need some guidance."

Arthur turned to Merlin with a thoughtful gaze. "Perhaps...but maybe not from me."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

The king looked at him, an idea forming. "From someone who knows about magic."

0o0

Merlin fidgeted and tugged at his collar. Arthur rolled his eyes. "Merlin, calm down. You're going to make everyone nervous."

"I'm not used to this like you are," Merlin replied, fingering the sleeve of his new blue robes. "Do I really have to wear this thing?"

Arthur smirked. "I'm afraid the Court Sorcerer is required to wear the official robes during any official court business."

The warlock groaned, but more out of nervousness than anything else.

They paused outside the large wooden doors. "Ready?" Arthur asked.

Merlin swallowed, then stood up straight, his height becoming more noticeable. Face wiped of all hesitance, Arthur realized he actually looked...confident.

"Ready."

For Arthur, the ceremony was long and tedious, as all he was doing was stating what he already knew: that Merlin had used his magic to save him and Camelot multiple times, and that, with the ban on magic lifted, he could now assume the position of Court Sorcerer. For Merlin, the ceremony was long and nervewracking, but he didn't let it show. When Arthur asked if he swore his loyalty to the king and to Camelot, his response wasn't quavering, but strong and sure, and not a single person in the hall doubted it.

"See?" Arthur said when the ceremony was over. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Fine, fine," Merlin said, "can I take these off now?"

Arthur just smirked. "You know, I actually like those on you..."

He ducked and laughed as Merlin swung his hand up to smack him upside the head.


End file.
